Machine for constructing fences



(No Model.) I J; A. MOLELAND.

' MAGHINE FOR GONSTRUOTING FENCES. No. 365,838. Patented July 5, 1887.

$52 Q'l'foznm W Z UNITED STATES PATENT EFIG JOHN ARTHUR MOLELAND, OF SGIRGLEVILLE, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR CONSTRUCTING FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,838, dated July 5, 1887.

Application filed May 10, 1887. Serial No. 237,721. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, J onn Anrnnn MeLnL- AND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scircleville, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Constructing Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my'i'mproved machine for constructing wire fences; Fig. 2, a detail view in perspeo ti ve of the operating-lever, and Fig. 3 a detail view of the brace used with the machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective machine for stretching the wires in constructing barbedwire fences; and it consistsin the details of construction, substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre sents the runners connected at their ends by transverse braces a, said runners being of any suitable size and length, and placed any desirable distance apart. To the runners Aare connected upright posts B, having secured to their upper ends a transverse brace, 12, said brace having connected thereto a suitable box for use in the construction of the fence.

for containing the necessary tools required To the inner sides are pivoted or hinged the lower end of beams O, which are held at any desirable height by means of the supporting-rods D, which pass through perforations or holes a in the posts B, aseries of these perforations or holes being made in the posts, so that the rods D may engage with any two of them to hold the beams stationary at the required height desired. Two of the rods are used, for the rea son that they will form a clamp for the beams to hold, them perfectly rigid when strain is brought thereon, and are held in engagement with the posts by means of keys d, inserted through holes in the ends of the rods.

To the upper end of the beam O is connected awindlass, E, provided with a ratohetwheehe, with which engages a pawl, f, pivoted'to one of the posts B. The Windlass is provided with a short arm, 9, extending radially therefrom, to which is attached one end of a chain, F, the opposite or freeend thereof having a hook, h, or other preferred means for attaching thereto one end of the wire to be stretched. The windlass E is turned by means of a hand-lever, G, having a bifurcation, 11, to fit over the part 7c of the Windlass, and a dog, Z, which engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 6, so that by moving the lever in a downward direction the dog engaging with the teeth will turn the Windlass a given distance, when thelever may be disconnected and again placed in an upright position with the dog engaging with one of the teeth, after which itis forced downward,which again turns the windlass,this being repeated to wind the chain F on the windlass until the fence-wire is given the required tension. Between the beams O is j on rnaled the spool or reel H, upon which is wound the wire for constructing the fences, said reel being supported upon a removable rod,m,which passes through one of the beams O, anda tension-bar, I, and through the opposite beam, whereby the reel is supported on a stationary shaft, around which it revolves. The lower end of this tensioubar I is hinged to one of the posts G, as shown at a, and the upper or opposite end of the bar is connected to the beam by means of a suitable spring, 0. A guide-pin, p, rigidly connected to the posts 0, extends through a hole in the tension'bar I, to guide it in its movement,and the bar is operated by means of a rod, K, one end of which is connected to. the tension-bar and the opposite end loosely passing through one of the beams O. The rod K is screwthreaded upon its end which passes through the beam, to receive a nut, 1', provided with a suitable handle, 8, for turning it. \V'hen turning the handle in the proper direction, the tension-bar I will be drawn out in a direction toward the end of thereel to insure proper. tension thereon, and when the nut and lever is turned baclgor in an opposite direction, the spring 0 will force it back against the beam, so as to release the tension on the reel.

\Vhen tightening the top wire, a brace, L, is employed and placed in position, as shown in dotted lines, the notched'ends t resting on the transverse brace b and top'of fence-post M, so as to prevent the machine from tipping when tightening the wire. As each -wire is tightened the position of the beams Cis changed so that the height of the windlass E will come on line with the wire to be tightened, this being done by changing the position of the supporting-rods D, as hereinbefore described.

To strengthen the upright posts B, braces N may be used,which are connected to said posts and to the runners A.

I11 the operation of the machine the spool or reel H, with a supply of wire, is placed in position between the beams O and the rod m passed through the beams and windlass, and through the tension-bar I, which forms a shaft for the reel to revolve upon, and in order to prevent the reel from revolving too fast the lever s is turned to draw in the rod K, and with it the tension-bar I, whereby said bar will be brought in frictional contact with one end of the reel, so that its extent of revolution may be controlled. The end of the wire is next fastened in any well-known manner to the footpost of the fence, and by hitching a team to the runners A the machine is drawn alongthc line of fence to the head-post of the fence, when the machine is stopped inposition with relation to said post, as shown in Fig. 1, one of the transverse braces a resting against it. The beams O are now adjusted in height to bring the windlass E 011 line with the wire to be stretched, and the wire secured to the hook I), after which the windlass is turned so as to wind the chain F thercon,which will bring the.

wire taut throughout the line of fence, when the'wire may be fastened to the post in any well-known manner.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In amachine for constructing wire fences, the runners A, provided with upright posts B, having a series of perforations or holes, 0, in

combination with the hinge-beams O, carrying I a windlass, E, chain F, with hook h, and reel' H, and the supporting-rods D, for holding the operating said tension-arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. JOHN ARTHUR MOLELAND. Witnesses:

J OHN W. Amos, ADRIAN B. KENT. 

